Stoker mechanism



AWM W, WM.. H. P. ANDERSON @,mm

STOKER MECHANISM Filed Jan. 3, 1935 HNVENTOR ATTORNEY Hoa/am fAndenso/r Patented Apr. 7, 1936 fLJNE''EDY. STATES- PATE-NT OFFICEI 4 s'roKER MECHANISM Application JanuaryS, 1935, Serial No. 211

4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in stoker conveyor troughs and more particularly to cast steel troughs for locomotive tenders, of the type shown in Patent No. 1,920,754, issued to W. L.

E Lentz et al,

The length of the conveyor trough usedin a particular stoker installation depends upon the type of tender and the length of its fuel bin and therefore may vary anywhere from twelve to fifteen feet. This necessitates the use of a number of large and expensive patterns.4 It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a Stoker conveyor trough comprising a forward cast section, a rearward cast section and an intermediate cast section, so designed that the forward and rearward castings are of standard construction regardless of the length of the trough, and only the intermediate section, which is a simple and relatively cheap casting, is variable.

It is another object of my invention toprovide a sectional stoker trough of the type described above with novel and improved splicing means whereby the sections when assembled will form a rigid, compact and durable unit.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the features of construction, the combination of elements and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical central section through the conveyor trough;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 with the splice plate in position;

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the line 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the structure shown in Figure 3 with the splice plate removed; and

Figure 6 is an isometric view of the splice plate.

In the drawing is shown a Stoker trough, designated as a whole by the numeral I0, adapted to be mounted beneath the tender fuel bin II of a locomotive tender. The trough I0 is provided with an open mouth I2 through which fuel passes from the bin I I. In stoker installations in which it was found to be necessary or desirable to use cast steel troughs, as, for example in the water bottom type of tender, it has been customary to form the trough as` a single casting. Since these troughs constitute large, bulky and heavy castings, being anywhere from 12 to 15 feet in length and weighing about 6000 pounds, a heavy investment in machine tools is necessary for properly performing the finishing work. Then, too, since the troughs vary in size depending upon the particular installation, a number of large` and expensive patterns are required.

These disadvantages are, to a large measure, overcome in my novel sectional cast steel trough. Referring tothe drawing, the trough I0 com-k prises a rear section i3, a front section I4and an intermediate section i5, arranged `to be assembled and spliced in a novel manner, described hereinafter in detail.

The rear section I3 of the trough I0 has cast therewith a gear box I6,ffor housing stoker drive mechanism, forming a closure for the rearward4 end of the trough. The front section I4 ofthe trough I has cast therewith a transverse end platevltforming a closure for theforward end of the trough. A bearing I8 is formed in the gear box I6, arranged to receivel the shaftA of a conveyor screw (not shown), and the end plate Il is provided with an opening I9 through-which the fuel carried forwardby the conveyor screw-is delivered. The end sections I3 and I4 constitute the heaviest and most expensive castings of the sectional trough, and the present invention permits them to` be made of a standard designand construction irrespective of the length of the trough. The intermediate section I5 of the trough I0 is a relatively simple casting, and its length is therefore made to vary dependingnpon the desired length of the trough.

It is apparent therefore that regardless off the length ofthe trough, a standard pattern may be used for the complicated end castings and only` for the intermediate casting is it necessary to have a number of patterns.

The sections I3, llt, and I5, except for their end portions, are uniform in cross sectional configuration. As best shown in Figure 4, the trough has a rounded bottom 20 to conform to the periphery of the conveyor screw (not shown) mounted in the trough, and side walls 2I and 22, diverging as they extend upwardly from the round trough bottom and then continuing vertically upward. The side walls 2l and 22 are provided with horizontally inwardly extending ledges 23 and 24, respectively; and diverging anges 25 and 26 extend upwardly from the outer edges of the ledges 23 and 24, respectively. The ledge 23 is provided with the seats 21 and 23, and the ledge 24 is provided with the seats 29 and 30. In the seats 2l and 29 are secured, preferably by Welding, the inwardly extending plates 3| and 32 respectively, forming with the seats 2l and 29,

respectively, the guideways 33 and 34. Slide plates (not shown) normally forming a closure for the open mouth of the trough are adapted to slide in the guideways 33 and 34, whereby they may be drawn forwardly from covering position to provide an opening through which fuel falls into the trough IEl.

Side sheets 35 and 36, arranged to form the side walls of the fuel bin I I, are secured, preferably by welding, to the diverging flanges 25 and 25, respectively, and the rear sheet 31, forming the rear wall of the fuel bin, is secured, also preferably by welding, to the gear box I6.

The adjacent end portions of the sections I 3, I4 and I5 are each slightly enlarged and are substantially V-shaped in cross section, the bot tom of the V however being rounded. Thus when the sections I3, I4 and I5 are placed end to end, there is formed at the adjacent ends of the sections I3 and I5 a depression 38 in the trough bottom and side walls, and at the adjacent ends of the sections I4 and I5 a depression 39. In each of these depressions is tted a splice plate the thickness of which is equal to the depth of the depressions 38 and 39, so that the splice plates 4S form continuations of the inside surface of the trough walls. A continuous weld extends around the sides and bottom of the trough at the adjacent ends of the sections I3, I4 and I5 rigidly securing them together and securing the splice plates 43 in place. A continuous weld also extends along the marginal edges of the splice plates where they contact the trough. The adjacent edges or the sections I3, I4 and I5 are preferably chamfered as at 4I and the walls defining the depressions 38 and 39 are preferably beveled as at 42.

The splice plates 40 are provided with inwardly extending ledges 43 and. d4, which may be formed integral with the splice plate 48 or if separable may be welded thereto. The ledges 43 and 44 form continuations of the ledges Z3 and 24.

The sections I3, I4 and I5 and splice plates 4S when assembled and welded form a rigid, tight and compact trough. By forming the trough in sections, simpler and less expensive machinery may be employed in performing the machining operations on the trough. The sections of the trough may be assembled and welded together before or after being installed on the tender.

I claim:

1. A sectional conveyor trough comprising a plurality of end-to-end related sections having enlarged end portions at their respective adjacent ends forming enlargements in said trough, said trough having a rounded bottom and diverging side walls, the side walls of the unenlarged portions of said trough having longitudinal inwardly extending ledges restricting the open mouth of said trough and having seats formed therewith,

aoaeos a splice plate fitted in each of said enlargements overlapping the adjacent enlarged end portions of said sections, said splice plates being provided with longitudinal inwardly extending ledges forming continuations of said rst named ledges, said sections and splice plates being united in rigid relationship by means of welding.

2. A sectional conveyor trough comprising a plurality of end-toend related sections having enlarged end portions at their respective adjacent ends forming enlargements in said trough, said trough having a rounded bottom and diverging side walls, the side walls or the unenlarged portions of said trough having longitudinal inwardly extending ledges restricting the open mouth of said trough and having seats formed therewith, a splice plate fitted in each of said enlargements overlapping the adjacent enlarged end portions of said sections, said splice plates being provided with longitudinal inwardly extending ledges forming continuations of said first named ledges, a continuous weld joining the adjacent edges of said sections and continuous weldingalong the junction of the marginal edges of said splice plates and the inner wall of said trough.

3. A sectional conveyor trough including two end-to-end related sections having enlarged end portions at their respective adjacent ends forming an enlargement in said trough, said trough having a rounded bottom and diverging side walls, the side walls of the unenlarged portions of said trough having longitudinal inwardly extending ledges restricting the open mouth oi said trough and having seats formed therewith, a'

splice plate tted in said enlargement overlapping the adjacent enlarged end portions of said sections, said splice plate being provided with longitudinal inwardly extending ledges forming continuations of said rst named ledges, said .sections and splice plate being united in rigid relationship by means of welding.

4. A sectional conveyor trough including two end-to-end related sections having enlarged end portions at their respective adjacent ends forming an enlargement in said trough, said trough having a rounded bottom and diverging side walls, the side walls of the unenlarged portions of said trough having longitudinal inwardly extending ledges restricting the open mouth of said trough and having seats formed therewith, a

splice plate fitted in said enlargement overlapping the adjacent enlarged end portions of said sections, said splice plate being provided with longitudinal inwardly extending ledges forming continuations of said rst named ledges, and means rigidly uniting the splice plate to said sections.

HOWARD P. ANDERSON. 

